Colon or coma?

[Heather Pennington]

My husband, who is also my boss, insists that it is correct when you write a letter to put a colon after the person to whom it is addressed. I alway put a coma, which is correct?

For example:

Dear James: (his way)

Dear James, (my way)

 

[IvanV]

Dear Heather,
look at this:
business letter: Information and Much More from Answers.com, Business Letter - Salutation .

Regards,
Ivan

 

[Anglika]

This seems to be an increasing change between British and American writing style. In all my working years I never received a letter with a colon following the greeting, even from American correspondents.

However, increasingly American instruction is to put a colon instead of a comma.

Personally, I would do what I find most comfortable. It won't stop a man on a galloping horse :shock:

 

[IvanV]

I'd agree on what Anglika said. Not once have I received a letter with a colon following 'Dear'.
We've all been taught to use a comma, and now, all of a sudden(to me, at least), we have a differentiation (AmE, BrE).
Seemingly flawless usually gets full of flaws by inquiring closely one state which was due to the moment of observing, so do as you think you should... :-|

 

[2006]

In Canada, a long time ago, we were taught to use a colon after the greeting. I checked 4 recent letters and they all still had a colon there.